Advent Devotional Day 2: A Crash Course in the Counselor

December 2:

B.C Verse: Isaiah 9: 2-7

A.D Verse: Colossians 1:16; I Corinthians 4:5

Christmas Hymn: “What Child is This?”

Hymn for today: “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”

During the first week of October, I rear-ended a Cullen’s delivery truck. If it had been any other vehicle, I probably would have ended up with a little bump on the front, but because it was a delivery truck, the lift punctured my radiator, which ultimately caused our car to be totaled.

Fortunately for me, my husband generously accepted the task of dealing with the insurance company, AAA, auto repair companies, etc, and my mom and dad generously loaned us their Chrysler while we figured out what to do next.

Dealing with AAA was kind of a pain. First, they dragged their feet about examining the car; then, they dragged their feet about the paperwork and process. Worst of all, the title was lost in limbo for a while. We mailed it, they said they never received it, and Mike started to panic because without the title, there would be no payment. Even though I am usually the spastic one, I told him to stay calm. I was confident that it would turn up, and it did. So what does this all have to do with Advent?

This week’s focus is on Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor. Today’s verses concentrate on the qualities of the Counselor. While it’s hard, at times, to wrap our heads around this concept, the fact is that “ALL things were created by Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16). Even the icky, nasty, awful stuff is used by Him; our job is to relinquish it to Him, not to dwell, wallow, or sink in it. “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. . .a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2). Thus, the first quality of our Counselor is that He OFFERS HOPE in an otherwise bleak, dark situation. His presence alone is a way out of the darkness.

In verse 4, the Counselor will “SHATTER THE YOKE THAT BURDENS” us. Just as Mike offered me hope by taking on the post-accidents burdens for me, we can release whatever burdens us to Him because He will take care of it with “justice and righteousness” (v. 7).

Not only will He take the burdens; He also commands us to GET RID OF ANY REMINDERS OF THOSE BURDENS. “Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garments rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire” (v. 5) Holding on means that we don’t trust the Counselor to take care of it completely, which is sin (ingratitude).  For example, if I would have called the insurance company or AAA after Mike had talked to them, it would suggest that I didn’t trust his competency, and it would be a waste of valuable time.  We need to trust that the Counselor knows what He is doing.

Lastly, the Counselor WILL TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS. It’s not our job to micro-manage. “Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts” (I Corinthians 4:5) I never once lost sleep over the lost title. I knew that we had done everything we had been told to do the way we had been told to do it. I was confident that our story would have a happy ending, and it did. Likewise, Christ, our Counselor, asks the same of us. Do what He tells you to do in the manner He wishes, and there is never any reason to second-guess Him. If you have done this, you can attest to the fact that He never fails to elicit Wonder from us as we watch Him create diamonds out of coal. He is our Wonderful Counselor.

Daily Challenge:  Praise someone today. Say something nice and encouraging.